What’s the Difference Between Normal Drinking and Alcoholism?

Studies confirm that Americans drink now more than ever before; indeed, for many, alcohol is a ubiquitous part of life. This increase in alcohol use has brought with it a quandary, though: Where exactly is the line between normal, regular alcohol consumption and true alcoholism?

It’s not something that can be defined in terms of the number of daily or weekly drinks; rather, addiction care experts say it has more to do with behaviors. You know you’ve crossed the line from normal alcohol use into alcohol addiction when you become dependent on it, and when it starts impacting your life in negative ways.

In fact, addiction recovery experts have a checklist of red-flag behaviors; if any two of these behaviors describe you, that’s a good sign that you might have a problem with alcohol addiction.

Signs of Alcohol Addiction: A Checklist

You’ve had moments where you end up drinking more, or for a longer period of time, than you intended.

You’ve wanted to cut down on your drinking but haven’t been able to.

You’ve lost a lot of time coping with the after-effects of alcohol use.

You’ve wanted a drink so intensely, you’ve not been able to think about anything else.

You’ve found that drinking and its effects have impeded your ability to keep up with family, work, or school responsibilities.

You’ve continued drinking even after seeing its adverse effect on your family.

You’ve given up activities that used to bring you joy, just to drink more.

You’ve gotten injured or placed yourself in risky situations due to alcohol’s influence.

You’ve continued drinking even after seeing its ill effects on your physical and emotional health.

You’ve noticed that you need to drink more than you used to in order to achieve the same buzz.